Bottle



3, 1965 D. E. STICKNEY 3,198,367

BOTTLE Filed Jan. 50, 1963 INVENTOR DONALD E. STICKNEY OLSEN mo STEPHENSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,198,367 Patented Aug. 3, 1965 3,18,367 BOTTLE Donald E. Sticlmey, 5151 Curtis Road, llymouth, Mich.

Filed Jan. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 254,975

12 Claims. (Cl. 215-1) The present invention relates to a bottle or jug and an associated closure cap, and more particularly to such a bottle or jug which has improved pouring characteristics.

In the conventional gallon or half gallon jug or bottle which has a handle and screw-on cap, liquid contents of the bottle necessarily require a considerable amount of time to be discharged because of the small neck or" the bottle to replace the liquid contents as the latter are being discharged. This entry of air as the liquid contents are being discharged results in a pulsating, irregular flow of the liquid. Various efforts have been made to develop an improved liquid container having a removable cap, wherein the container is constructed and arranged to permit a rapid and smooth discharge of liquid therefrom.

Bottles have been developed which overcome these difficulties and which provide a rapid and smooth discharge of the liquid from the container. One such container is shown in prior Patent 3,069,039 wherein a vent to the at mosphere is provided and wherein the closure cap for the bottle seals the discharge opening in the bottle as well as the opening for the vent. In this patented device the opening for the vent is located some distance from the bottle discharge opening. Other efforts have been made to provide a free-flowing bottle, such as in the early patent to Brewer, No. 591,735, wherein the vent opening and the bottle discharge opening are in close proximity to permit a single seal to close both openings. In constructions of the type shown in this latter patent, a conventional closure cap or stopper can be used, but it is found that satisfactory results are not always obtained from such constructions because of inadequate sealing of the vent or breathing tube or because of the close proximity of the vent. or

breathing tube to the pouring spout of the bottle, preventing proper venting action. In a bottle of this type, it is the intended purpose of the passageway to permit freefiow of air into the bottle to replace the liquids that are flowing out of the spout. Since the breathing tube or passageway necessarily is rather restricted in cross-sectional area, a completely free in-flow of air must be maintained at all times, and any stopping of this free in-flow of air will necessarily cause the liquid discharge to resume the undesirable pulsating, irregular flow which the breathing tube or passageway is intended to prevent. It has been found that a jug constructed and designed along the lines of the teachings of the aforesaid Brewer Patent No. 591,735 will encounter difiiculties in carrying out its intended purpose, because the sucking of the air through the breathing tube or passageway results in sucking in some of the liquid being discharged from the jug. Thus, even though it may be expected that a continuous, uninterrupted dispensing of the liquid will be assured from a bottle constructed after the teachings of the Brewer Patent No. $91,735, it is found that such desirable results are not always realized. As indicated above, because of the close proximity of the breathing tube to the discharge spout, liquid being discharged from the discharge spout will necessarily be sucked back into the breathing tube or passageway, thereby restricting the same and causing a pulsating, interrupted dispensing of the liquid from the bottle.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved liquid container or bottle having a removable sealing cap, which container is constructed and arranged with the container discharge opening and the vent opening in close proximity whereby the sealing cap can simultaneously close both the opening of the spout of the container and the breathing vent or passageway, and which container is constructed and arranged to permit a rapid and smooth discharge of liquid therefrom at all times.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a container or bottle of the foregoing character which has a handle through which the breathing or vent passageway or duct extends.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bottle of the foregoing character which is constructed and arranged so that the opening to the atmosphere of the breathing or vent duct is located immediately adjacent the outlet end of the pouring spout for the bottle, so that the same portion of the closure cap can be used to seal both openings simultaneously.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming: a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through the handle and vertical axis of a bottle embodying one form of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on the lines 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FEGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section similar to the section of FIGURE 1, but showing another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on the lines 4-41 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is another fragmentary section through the vertical axis of a bottle embodying still another modification of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken on the lines 6-6 of FIG- URE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mod ification illustrated in FIGURE 5.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 will be described in greater detail. The bottle 10 is preferably made of a suitable plastic material and has a handle 12 formed as an integral part thereof. A neck 14 is provided at the upper end with external threads 16, and a closure cap 18 is shown screwed thereon.

The handle 12 and neck 14 are constructed with a breathing passageway or vent duct 20 which opens at its lower end into the interior of the bottle 10 and opens at its upper end to the atmosphere via the oulet 22.

Formed as an integral part of the bottle 10, is an extension 24 from the passageway 20 and the neck 14, which extension defines the partition 26 between the opening 22 to the atmosphere and the opening through the neck 14 through which the liquid contents of the bottle 10 are discharged. Thus, when pouring the contents of the bottle 10 through the spout or neck 14, air from the atmosphere can freely fiow though the opening 22, and through the breathing passageway 20, to the interior of the bottle as- 1 suring a smooth, continuous, uninterrupted dispensing of the liquid, and because of the partition 26, there will be no danger of inflowing air at 22, sucking some of the discharged liquid back through the passageway 20, and

sacs,

thereby preventing the desired smooth flow from the bottle.

The closure cap 18 is internally threaded and of such proportions so as to permit it to be screwed onto the threaded neck 14- and at the same time to enclose the opening 22 and the opening in the neck 14. In this type of construction, at least three sealing points between the closure cap 18 and the bottle 10 may be used. A beveled edge 28 may be provided at uniplanar rim 29, and an annular beveled portion 30 may be provided immediately above the threaded portion of the neck 14, and another annular beveled portion 32 may be provided immediately below the threaded portion of the neck 14. The closure cap 18 has complementary annular beveled portions adapted to engage in sealed relation the corresponding beveled portions 28, 30 and 32 of the bottle. When screwing the cap 18 onto the bottle-10, the upper inner portion of the cap 18 Will normally engage the uniplanar rim 29 prior to the time that the cap 18 is fully screwed onto the bottle 10. When the cap 18 is fully screwed onto the bottle 10, the extension 24 will be placed in compression causing a slight outward bowing of the portion of the e."- tension between the threaded neck portion of neck 14 and the uniplanar rim 29, and because of the resilient and flexible properties of the plastic bottle 10, the extension 24 will exert an upward pressure against the inner top wall of the closure cap 18, thereby cooperating in eifecting a relatively tight seal between the uniplanar rim 2? and the closure cap 18. When the cap 18 is fully screwed onto the bottle 10, the complementary beveled edges at 30 will effect a tight seal between the cap and the bottle preventing leakage from the bottle, not only such as might occur through the neck 14 and extension 24, but also such as might occur through the breathing or vent passageway 20. Similarly, the seal provided at the annular beveled edge 32 will accomplish this same purpose, although, if desired, this latter sealing edge may be eliminated in view of the similar function performed at the annular beveled edge 30.

i The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 is somewhat similar to that illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, with the exception that the extension 24a is differently constructed. In this embodiment the extension 24a has a somewhat smaller cross-sectional area than the neck 14a, and the discharge opening from the extension 24a is latterly offset from the axis of the opening in the neck However, the extension 24a provides a partition 26a between the uniplanar rim 29a of the neck 14a and the outlet from the passageway 20a. A top wall 34a extends between the beveled edge 30a and the base of the extension 24a. Similar seals can be effected at the complementary beveled edges at 28a, 30a, and 3211..

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 is a more simplified version of the present invention and one which enables the neck 14b to be made as short as is possible to prevent unnecessarily elongating the bottle 1%. In this embodiment an extension 26b is provided which forms a partition between the vent opening 22b and the discharge opening of the bottle lilb. When the liquid is being poured from the bottle 1017, the partition will prevent the inflowing air' at 22b from sucking into passageway 20b a portion of such liquid. Thus, a smooth discharge is assured.

The bottle 10b normally is a blown plastic article and the material of which the bottle is made may have flexible properties so that the closure cap 18b (shown in phantom) can be screwed onto the threaded neck portion of the bottle deflecting the extension 26b to the position shown in the broken lines. However, when the cap 18b is removed the resilient properties in the plastic will restore the extension 26b to the solid line position, or in any event, when the bottle 10b is inverted, the outflowing liquid will deflect the extension 26b to the solid line position.

4 Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1.111 combination, a bottle having an externally threaded neck portion for discharging the contents of the I bottle with the opening of the neck portion having a small cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional area of the remainder of the bottle, :a handle, and a vent passageway extending through said handle and said neck portion with one end of the passageway open to the interior of the bottle at one side thereof and in venting communication with lower regions of the bottle and the other end of the passageway open to the atmosphere above the threaded neck portion, said passageway having an integral extension at said other end defining a partition extending above and between the opening to the atmosphere and said opening for discharging the contents of the bottle, and a closure cap having internal threads for screwing the cap on and off said threaded neck portion, said cap having an annular portion sealingly engageable with the bottle at one end of the threaded neck portion.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said integral extension extends upwardly from said passageway and from said threaded neck portion so as to circumscribe the opening for discharging the contents of the bottle, said extension terminating in a uniplanar rim engageable'by the cap when the latter is screwed onto the bottle.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said integral extension is a cylindrical project-ion .circumscribing the opening for discharging the contents of the bottle.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said integral extension is a vane-like projection.

5. In combination, a bottle having an externally threaded neck portion with an opening of relatively small cross-sectional area for discharging the contents of the bottle, a handle, a passageway extending through said J handle and said neck portion and having one end open to the interior of the bottle at one side thereof and the other end open to the atmosphere above the threaded neck portion, and an upward extension from the neck portion and said passageway defining a cylindrical configuration coaxially disposed above said neck portion and having an outlet in one side thereof in communication with said passageway, said extension terminating at its upper end in a beveled unipl-anar rim, said threaded neck portion having an annular beveled uniplanar portion generally parallel to said rim, and a closure cap threadedly connected to said neck portion and having an internal portion in sealing engagement with said rim and another portion in sealing engagement with said annular beveled uniplanar portion.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said closure cap encloses the sides of said upward extension in spaced relation, and said upward extension has resilient properties so that when the cap is screwed in place on the threaded neck portion said sides will the bowed outwardly hy the compressive forces of the cap acting on the beveled rim, and the resulting opposite forces in the resilient extension will then operate in effecting a tight seal at said rim.

'7. In combination, a bottle having an externally threaded neck portion with an opening of relatively small cross-sectional area for discharging the contents of the bottle, a passageway extending through said neck portion and having one end open to the interior of the bottle at one side thereof and the other end open to the atmosphere above the threaded neck portion, and an upward extension from the neck portion and said passageway defining a spout above said neck portion and an outlet at one side of the spout in communication with said passageway, said extension terminating at its upper end in a uniplanar rim, and a closure cap threadedly connected to said neck portion and having an internal portion in sealing engagement with said rim, said upward extension having resilient properties so that when said cap is screwed in place on the threaded neck portion the sides of the extension will be placed in compression and the resulting opposite forces in the resilient extension will operate to maintain a tight seal at said rim.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein said closure cap and said bottle have complementary annular beveled portions adjacent their threaded portions for effecting a tight seal when screwing said closure cap onto said bottle.

9. In combination, a bottle having an externally threaded neck portion with an opening for discharging the contents of .the bottle, a passageway extending through said neck portion and having one end open to the interior of the bottle at one side thereof and the other end open to the atmosphere above said threaded neck portion, and an upward extension from the neck portion and said passageway defining a spout above said neck portion and an outlet at one side of the base of the spout in communication with said passageway, and a closure cap threadedly connected to said neck portion and enclosing said spout and said outlet, said closure cap and said bottle having complementary portions adjacent to their threaded portions for effecting a tight seal when said closure cap is screwed onto said bottle.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said spout is coaxially disposed relative to said neck portion and said outlet is defined by a lateral inset in said spout immediately above said threaded neck portion at said passageway.

11. The combination of claim 9, wherein said spout has an axis laterally offset from the axis of said neck portion in a direction away from said outlet, and said outlet is defined in a wall member that extends between said neck portion and the base of said spout.

12. In combination, a plastic bottle having an externally threaded neck portion with an opening for discharging the contents of the bottle, a passageway extending through said neck portion and having one end open to the interior of the bottle at one side thereof and the other end open to the atmosphere above said threaded neck portion, and an upward flexible extension from said passageway defining a flexible partition between said opening of the neck portion and the open other end of said passageway, and a closure cap threadedly connected to said neck portion and enclosing said opening and said open other end, said closure cap and said bottle having complementary portions adjacent 'to their threaded portions for effecting a tight seal when said closure cap is screwed onto said bottle, said closure cap having an internal portion for engaging and deflecting said flexible partition over said opening when the cap is screwed onto said bottle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 575,954 1/97 Huifman 2151.184 591,735 10/97 Brewer 2151.187 649,394 5/00 Bonnette et al. 215-l.201 1,243,963 10/ 17 Moser 215-'.107 2,616,593 11/52 Leibenhaut 215-41 3,066,819 12/62 Cox 215-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,125,509 7/56 France.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

WESLEY S. COLE, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,198,367 August 3, 1965 Donald E Stickney It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 14, after "bottle" insert and because of the need for air to enter the bottle Signed and sealed this 15th day of February 1966,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN COMBINATION, A BOTTLE HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADED NECK PORTION FOR DISCHARGING THE CONTENTS OF THE BOTTLE WITH THE OPENING OF THE NECK PORTION HAVING A SMALL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA RELATIVE TO THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF THE REMAINDER OF THE BOTTLE, A HANDLE, AND A VENT PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HANDLE AND SAID NECK PORTION WITH ONE END OF THE PASSAGEWAY OPEN TO THE INTERIOR OF THE BOTTLE AT ONE SIDE THEROF AND IN VENTING COMMUNICATION WITH LOWER REGIONS OF THE BOTTLE AND THE OTHER END OF THE PASSAGEWAY OPEN TO THE ATMOSPHERE ABOVE THE THREADED NECK PORTION, SAID PASSAGEWAY HAVING AN INTEGRAL EXTENSION AT SAID OTHER END DEFINING A PARTITION EXTENDING ABOVE AND BETWEEN THE OPENING TO THE ATMOSPHERE AND SAID OPENING FOR DISCHARGING THE CONTENTS OF THE BOTTLE, AND A CLOSURE CAP HAVING INTERNAL THREADS FOR SCREWING THE CAP ON AND OFF SAID THREADED NECK PORTION, SAID CAP HAVING AN ANNULAR PORTION SEALINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE BOTTLE AT ONE END OF THE THREADED NECK PORTION. 